This year with a boom in building and a healthy economy, there is an increasing need for Construction Project Managers. If you are newly entering this field, or you want to add to your credentials, you should definitely consider getting certified.

Project managers supervise construction projects from start to finish, ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget. An understanding of the construction process, business and the ability to work in a fast-paced, ever evolving business and adhere to tight deadlines are crucial. Work experience in the industry is one of the most important requirements for this field. Bachelor’s degrees are becoming more common and many construction project managers pursue certification also, even though this is optional.

Project managers control costs, time, and the quality of construction ventures. They handle all kinds of projects from residential, schools and commercial buildings to industrial buildings, roads and bridges. They plan and coordinate every aspect of the construction process, from hiring contractors, working with engineers and architects to dealing with vendors. One project manager may oversee an entire construction project, or there may be multiple managers overseeing specific parts of a project. Project Managers usually start out working for a construction firm, but often branch out to own their own company. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that construction managers earn, on average, $92,700 a year. The outlook for Construction Project Management jobs are anticipated to grow 16 percent from 2012-2022, making this quite a lucrative and promising career.

Construction project managers are increasingly expected to have a bachelor’s degree in some construction-related field like building science, construction management or civil engineering. Years of construction experience is still needed to enter this profession and can be gained through working as an intern, some area as a crafts man or supervisor on a construction job. Working closely with other project managers is important to gain real world experience and industry knowledge.

Earning a master’s degree in a construction-related field could open the door to higher paying jobs at large construction firms, but is certainly not required. To greatly improve one’s marketability in general as a Project Manager in construction, earning a certification is highly recommended. Visit The American Institute of Constructors website to see their offerings for Associate Constructor and Certified Professional Constructor certifications. The Construction Management Association of America offers a certification for Certified Construction Manager. Also, the Project Management Professional is a widely industry-recognized certification for project managers in construction areas. The PMP shows employers and clients alike that you speak and understand the global language of project management.

Getting certified in one or more of these disciplines will help you to adopt practices for exploring a variety of perspectives. Here are some crucial points that you will learn upon becoming a certified Construction Project Manager.

1. We assume we see what we see, but we really see what we think. Make it a habit to inquire what others see. Together, you can see more and it will make efforts on the project much more efficient.

2. Stay close to your customer. Clients’ concerns will grow and change over the life of a project. Keep communication open with them to assure you deliver above and beyond what they expect.

3. Take care of your project team and they will take care of you. We can’t take care of the customer properly if we aren’t taking care of our project team. It comes down to taking care of each team member as individuals, ensuring they feel heard, nurtured and valued.

4. Keep your eye on your project promises. Deliver what you promise and be careful not to promise what you don’t know you can deliver. Project work can be difficult. Remind yourself as well as your team of the your promises and what you are doing to fulfill those promises.

5. Build relationships intentionally. Yes, build client and team relationships with purpose and put forth the work to nurture those relationships. To do great work, innovation, learning and collaboration requires people who like each other and care. Don’t leave that to chance.

6. Learning and action go hand in hand. Projects are fantastic opportunities to learn. You should make it a habit to incorporate learning into all of your project activities. Your team will appreciate it and your customer will undoubtedly benefit from it, as well. Not to mention, it will make your job easier.

7. Coordinate precisely. A construction project is an ever-evolving network of commitment. Tend to the critical conversations to keep these networks active. Make sure that people are making clear requests, completion dates for all requests and promises, and share anything that can change the advancement of the project.

8. Collaboration is key. As the project manager, it should be your rule to plan with the very people who will be the performers of the plan. Don’t wait until it is too late and the project is in trouble before you seek their help. Continue collaborating with these key players throughout the life of the project.

9. Listen actively and generously. For the most part, people are good and well-intended. Give people the benefit of the doubt, even when they may have cost valuable time and money. Take the time to listen to them, both clients and team members. Ask questions. Seek their opinions and ideas. Be generous with yourself, at the same time.

10. Expect the unexpected. Even a perfect plan cannot plan for every single thing. There are plenty of situations that simply cannot be anticipated and planned for. Be flexible and resilient, no matter what life may throw your way. Even in the harshest of setbacks, you and your team will learn something. When you do take a setback, and it will happen, review the previous nine rules for ideas on how to work your way out of it.

Sooner or later, virtually all homeowners encounter some kind of problem that interferes with the smooth function of their household plumbing systems. Unfortunately, like many challenges in life, plumbing problems can occur at unexpected times and trigger significant disruptions in your tightly scheduled daily routine. Once your plumbing starts giving you trouble, the key question is: What you can do to minimize the disruption and return your system to good working order as soon as possible? Luckily, you can follow a few simple steps to uncover the extent of the problem and determine the most appropriate course of action.

Troubleshoot the Cause of the Problem

Most plumbing-related issues have more than one potential underlying cause. Before you decide to call a plumber or take care things yourself, consider taking a little bit of time to troubleshoot the specific source of the problem. The information you gather may provide vital clues for any professional you hire to carry out a repair. It can also form the basis for your own cost-effective, do-it-yourself repair efforts.

Troubleshooting High Water Usage

One of the most common, but overlooked, indications of plumbing problems is an unexpected increase in your household water usage, which typically translates into an unexpected increase in your monthly water bill. If you discover unexplained high water usage, start your troubleshooting efforts by listening for leaking pipes in your kitchen and bathroom(s). Since the average home is quite loud during busier parts of the day, you may need to perform this task toward bedtime or when you first wake up in order to catch the relatively subtle sounds of a slow leak. If the tank on a toilet is the source of your leak, you may have an easier time detecting the sound of constantly running water between flushes.

Troubleshooting Slow Drains

You may first notice the existence of plumbing problems when the water in a sink or bathtub starts emptying at an unusually slow rate. Naturally, you might assume that the problem is a localized clog in the connected drain line. In many cases, such an assumption would be correct. However, in other cases, the draining problems you notice in one sink or bathtub actually affect a larger portion of your plumbing system. You can distinguish localized problems from bigger issues by pouring water down multiple drains throughout your home and comparing the results.

Troubleshooting Low Water Pressure

Low water pressure is another fairly common plumbing issue. First, take the time to determine if pressure problems are affecting just one fixture or several fixtures throughout your household. Also take the time to determine if both the hot and cold water taps of each fixture have the same pressure issues.

If you have low water pressure in more than one area of your home, you may have a system-wide problem caused by things such as undetected leaks or mineral accumulations inside your plumbing lines. Other potential problems include a faulty system component called a pressure reducing valve or a faulty water meter shut-off valve. In some cases, the water pressure problems you experience may actually be caused by issues outside your home, such as leaking or broken water mains in your area.

Fix Minor Problems Yourself

In many cases, you can follow up your troubleshooting efforts with a do-it-yourself repair that helps you avoid calling for professional help. Depending on your willingness, personal experience and comfort level, common plumbing issues that may fall into the DIY category include dripping faucets, clogged drains, constantly running toilets, leaky pipes and low water pressure. You’ll have to decide for yourself whether you want to put in the time and effort required to successfully address these issues.

Repairing Dripping Faucets

Faucet dripping is commonly caused by wear and tear in the silicone or rubber washers that normally help form a watertight seal when a tap closes. You may be able to replace a damaged washer fairly easily. However, problems that extend beyond simple washer damage may require a plumber’s expertise. You also probably need a plumber if your dripping faucet has a ceramic tap.

Fixing Running Toilets

In most cases, you can successfully repair a constantly running toilet by replacing worn-out components located in the toilet tank. Essentially all hardware stores and home improvement stores sell kits that make the replacement process quite straightforward. If component replacement doesn’t fix the issue, you may need to call a plumber.

Fixing Leaky Pipes

Sometimes, you can temporarily stop pipe joints from leaking by applying something called a fitting compound or a joint filler. However, as a rule, only replacement of the leaking section will produce a permanent solution. Unless you feel confident removing a section of pipe, schedule an appointment with a plumbing professional.

Fixing Clogged Drains

Many people attack drain clogs with a chemical-based commercial drain cleaner. While these products often get the job done, they can damage your pipes if you use them frequently to deal with recurring clogs. As an alternative, you may want to try enzymatic drain cleaners, which use a combination of naturally occurring enzymes and bacteria to bust clogs. However, repeated clogging usually indicates that it’s time to contact a plumber.

Call a Plumbing Professional

As we’ve seen, you may need to call a plumber in order to successfully address some of the more minor problems that can affect your household plumbing. There are also times when you should avoid DIY solutions altogether and make a call to a plumbing professional your number one priority. Typically, these situations arise when the issue affecting your system is too complex or too hazardous for you to deal with on your own.

One of the prime examples of a situation that immediately calls for a plumber’s expertise is a leaking or collapsed sewer line. Failure to handle this hazardous scenario correctly can lead to contamination of your drinking water supply with pesticide residue or disease-causing microbes such as Salmonella or E. coli. Other situations that require expert plumbing assistance to ensure safety and high-quality work include leaks in a septic tank, malfunctions in your household water heater, and the installation of any new plumbing lines, new bathtubs/showers, or new sinks.

We’ve had the privilege of building so many second story add-ons in San Diego. They are super fun to build but definitely require more skill than a one-story room addition. Tying into an existing building and ensuring that the new floor is supported structurally is the primary concern. Both the code and General Contractor involved is focused or should be building the new room to be supported by the existing foundation. These days with the DIY, Houzz and remodeling glamour shows it seems to have created an ideology that contracting can be done by anyone with a pneumatic nailgun, some laborers and material/hardware. This, in fact couldn’t be farther from the truth. To find a good carpenter, general contractor is a craftsman that has an engineering mind but can gracefully transition the new structure aesthetically, while passing the inspection phases with flying colors. Although, we are still working on this second story here are some items most homeowners do not assume that can be extremely stressful/require talent to build. These are just a few misconceptions I’ve found that are usually lost from the conceptual idea to how building really happens on the field.

Are You Including A Deck?

Great, I love to sip a cup of coffee in the morning outside too. But…keep in mind you will need a different elevation for these outdoor hangouts. With rain and other outdoor elements you need to channel water and debris toward one side (with drainage) so you do not have stagnant water. Controlled water is your best friend in construction, un-controlled water this is where you have issues. So it is essential you pitch the floor to avoid moisture issues and damage to fluid that would otherwise settle. Why are two elevation differences on one floor plan difficult? Well, just think in these terms – anytime you are doing more customization and do not build homogenously things get tricky. You will have to take the framing by each phrase and stop, build and carry on. It is much easier to build one uniform elevation where you have a production line of someone cutting your joists, someone passing them and someone installing. With a deck you likely need to take your time and complete one-phase looking at specific engineering plans and having the team cool there jets to avoid building errors.

Is There an Existing Foundation or Structure To Build On?

Are you breaking down the entire frame or do you have something to build off of? Remember matching or adding on to structures is not as easy as “new construction”. Many homeowners want to build a new room on top of a garage or existing structure and think “this should be easy, in fact – the work is already half done…just build on top!” Again, this isn’t true.

Let’s take building on top of a garage for example. Yes, you will have an existing base/structure assuming it is not effected by termites or in solid condition to build off. You need to take into consideration that the new floor to support the second story is likely to require different specs for the new weight and foot-traffic. After all a garage roof has the occasional roofer but mainly just has some wind and rain so of course adding furniture and other heavier items will likely change how the floor should be crafted. When taking out the existing garage roof you need to be cautious. Likely the garage door is fastened to the roof so how will you keep this in place or dis-assemble? Also when you take the roof out, you must tie off/support the existing walls. All of this may sound easy but in fact it requires an experienced specialist to avoid any injuries or huge damage to the house.

Do You Have Existing Architectural Plans/Designs?

Taking imitative is a great trait and also it is very cool to work with homeowners that have an interest in remodeling. However, it is not always advised to take too much charge on remodeling. Again, be careful what you’ve watched or seen on TV. Most general contractors have a network of subs and vendors who they’ve worked with for years after filtering through and building trust. We’ve worked with our engineer/architect for over 10 years and it’s unlike a relationship that you can get from just handing over plans after one session. Our advice is to find a contractor or if architect you hire as a team. This is much smarter and will yield a much more professional timeline and save you money. By not having to redo plans or avoiding miscommunications you are streamlining your project. Also if you hire a general contractor that works with an architect they can refer to each other in regards to the carpentry, design and code vs having a disconnect during the project. You’ll want to hire a general that has subs that get along and make the project fun and structurally correct.

So there you have it, here are just some nuances I’ve seen that homeowners tend to overlook. With building back up it is as crucial as ever to hire an experienced professional as many contractors are getting back in the game. A good team will get your project closer to your ideal dream and you will save a great deal of money doing the task once, paying for materials and labor once.

Initially the idea of ‘going green’ sounds a little silly until you start paying attention to all the damage that we, as humans, do every day. When you start noticing how much of any affect, our actions have on the environment, it becomes abundantly clear that we need to change our behaviour in order to protect what we have left. Going green has become a go-to idea for almost every aspect of our lives, almost every industry is trying to adjust themselves and their operations to facilitate a transformation that business friendly and ecologically sound.

One of the most affected industries is the building industry. This opportunities around ‘going green’ in building and remodelling are enormous but they are often perceived as pricey. But going green isn’t all about the environment, it has plenty of benefits to for the home owner. The benefits of using the right materials and constructing your home with going green range from cheaper and more effective heating to careful water preservation. Not every homeowner needs to immediately purpose a solar heating system, there are a huge range of smaller changes you can make to turn your home into a more eco-friendly space.

The best tip anyone can give for planning on building or renovating your home is do your research. This seems like an obvious piece of advice to give but make sure you know what you are getting into before you dive head first. Make sure you know enough about the materials you are using and the design aspects you are employing to ensure that you will get the best eco-friendly home for your budget.

The most important aspect of going green is know what types of materials to use and what types of materials to avoid. This isn’t just about what piping to use in your plumbing but also what timber you can use and even what types of varnish are available. When you are designing the space you are renovating or building think about what you can use in the space that is recycled or what different types of natural materials are safe to use. This list includes knowing about where different types of timber and what types of cement and glass have been recycled.

Another useful thing to know is what little tricks can be employed to cheap things like water and electricity consumption down. These tricks include using a geyser blanket or tank heater. This ensures that your geyser doesn’t need to be on as often or for as long as usual. Along with this choosing the correct glass for your windows, with the correct glazing, that ensures that the heat of your home is preserved. These tricks can seem surprising at first but are excellent tools for ensuring that your home is green and cost-effective.

Any home can be made eco-friendly with even the smallest of touches, and it doesn’t even need to be a costly adventure.
Visiting these sites may help:

There are a number of reasons why you may be considering a room addition or second story addition for your San Diego home. Perhaps you have a new addition to your family on the way, need somewhere for guests to stay or simply require an office so you can work from home. Whatever your reason for considering a room addition or second story addition, you need to make sure you work with a reputable design build contractor like SJB Construction that has experience in home remodeling in San Diego.

Here we will guide you through the custom design/build process to give you a better idea of the stages involved.

Initial consultation

After you have researched reputable design build contractors in San Diego and have narrowed down your choice to a single company, they should offer you an initial consultation. Here at SJB Construction we provide all prospective clients with a consultation with one of our in-house architectural designers. The point of this meeting is so that we can understand what the client is looking for in their custom design / build and work together to create the best architectural design to meet their needs and requirements.

No matter which contractor you go with, the consultation stage of the design / build process should not be rushed. We give clients as much time as they need to decide on their room addition / second story addition, after all it is a big decision to make!

All of our initial consultations take place at the client’s home so our in-house architectural designers can get a better idea of the space they are working with and provide clients a more accurate insight of their options.

Obtaining permits

Before any construction can take place, whether it is a room addition or second story addition, it is important to make sure you have obtained the necessary permits. All renovations must comply with the San Diego code. Your contractor should remind you of the need to obtain permits and some will even apply for them on your behalf. Whilst we’re on the subject of keeping things legal, it is also essential that you check your contractor is licensed and insured before they carry out any work on your home.

Architectural planning

Some companies will send their architectural designers to the first consultation with an initial bid / price for the custom build, only to add on extra expenses later. This is something reputable contractors like us are not willing to do. Instead our architectural designers will go away and use 3D rendering software to create a mock-up of your room addition or second story addition. They will then organise another meeting with you so that you can check the plan and decide if you want to make any changes. Only when you are 100% happy will we talk figures. We are extremely transparent about our pricing and will provide a no obligation quote to ensure you are completely happy before committing to the project.

Assign On-Site Deliverables

The next stage of the design / build process for a room or second story addition involves assigning the timeline and contractors to remain consistent with flow of project. SJB Construction Inc. will oversee all of the work carried out on your home and will be your first point of contact for answering your questions. Basically they are there to meet your needs and requirements, monitor your budget, ensure your project is meeting time deadlines and provide you with an excellent customer service.

Inspection

During the build process of your room addition or second story addition in San Diego, you will need to have it inspected by the local authorities. Your project manager will be able to inform you when these inspections need to take place for your specific build and should also organize them on your behalf. A final inspection will also need to take place when the build process is finished, as according to San Diego code a project is not complete for legal purposes until it has passed the final inspection!

If you have any questions about the design / build process or are considering a room or second story addition on your San Diego home, feel free to give us a call on 1-619-726-7692.

In today’s home there are an array of exciting trends to consider when buying or remodeling your home. The kitchen is still hub, but it’s starting to get really bright. Find an escape from your busy world in a bathroom retreat. Flex rooms offer space with the changing family dichotomy. Find creative inspiration for all that stuff you’ve collected over the years. The green revolution continues aggressively with the growing popularity of a passive home.

Kitchen’s Bold Look

Kitchens continue to be the gathering place in the home and bold colors are offsetting those dark cabinet colors and stainless steel appliances. Warm colors like yellows and reds are popular appetite stimulators, while silver, blue and green hues offer mellower tones. Desks and study areas continue to make this space a place of multitasking, drawing in all of the members of the family.

The Bathroom Retreat

Bathrooms are going the way of the spa, with multi-headed showers, steam showers or stand-alone tubs. Ceramic tiles are still popular; either muted, like the favorite white subway tile, or with bright and fun accents of color. Electronics have made their way into the bathroom with unique sound systems and flat screen TVs. High-tech also continues to advance with water-saving features like a low-flow toilet with either a .8 gallon or 1.6 gallons per flush.

Flex Rooms

Flex rooms are a growing trend in family homes. Baby boomers are a big part of this move, as the elderly population is choosing to live with family due to financial constraints. These rooms offer options such as changing a den into a music room, nursery or study. For new home designs builders add a flex room to give the owner more options with their space. A flex room can work as a multi-functioning room such as a guest room, TV room or office by installing hidden Murphy beds to make it a guest room and clever built-ins to hide a TV and computer.

Creative Storage

People continue to accumulate a ridiculous amount of storage, just look at all of the storage rental places. But finding a place for all of this stuff in the home is not always easy. What about turning a functional staircase into a collection of drawers? Designers are coming up with unique and creative ways to hide your stuff.

Passive Home

Reduction in the consumption of home energy continues to be a prevalent trend in architecture and passive homes are answering the call. These homes are very well insulated, nearly airtight and are heated by passive solar gain and from the internal gains such as people or electronics. A small source of energy provides any additional heat. This system saves up to 90% on heating costs and a ventilator provides a constant supply of fresh air.

Today Is Tomorrow’s Trend

Many trends in today’s home still embrace the qualities of family and comfort, but there is a lot of changes to make home living more exciting. Technology continues to lead in home design by creating unique advancements that allow for simpler living while saving you money. As the family changes, so does the more flexible home, offering creative uses of space. Today’s designs offer you an upbeat, relaxing, storable and cool home.

Over the past several years, there’s been a growing demand for energy-efficient homes with eco-friendly materials and versatile living spaces. Homeowners are looking for features that create a comfortable and convenient lifestyle. To meet demands, building trends in 2014 are including features that homeowners want. Take a look at some of the most popular home features.

Smart Home Systems

In today’s computerized world, homeowners love smart home systems that help conserve energy and make household tasks easy and convenient. With the push of a button from any computer or smart phone, you can automate numerous home features from any location. Smart home systems allow you to turn your home lights on or off, lock and unlock doors, arm or disarm your security system, program or adjust thermostat settings and program or adjust swimming pool and spa temperatures.

Green Materials

Homeowners are opting for healthy living environments with safe eco-friendly materials in the home. Many building materials contain toxic or harmful chemicals which can contribute to allergies, respiratory problems, headaches and other health issues. Interior and exterior materials like paints, wood stains, insulation, carpet and upholstery are being replaced with recycled and green materials that are chemical-free and hypoallergenic. Popular materials include recycled wood products, eco-friendly bamboo flooring, non-toxic adhesives and carpet backing and hypoallergenic textiles.

Family Kitchens

Kitchens are being designed as a multitasking space that’s used by the entire family. They are becoming the central activity center, the hub-of-the-house, where the family spends time together cooking, eating and entertaining. Kitchen layouts include various cooking zones with state-of-the-art appliances, kitchen islands with prep stations and sinks, and planning areas with desks and computers. This versatile layout creates a kitchen where kids can do homework while parents cook dinner. It encourages family conversations and shared activities.

Outdoor Fireplaces and Firepits

Outdoor fireplaces and firepits create an outdoor environment with a cozy, relaxing atmosphere. The glow of a warm fire creates a comfortable setting for outdoor dining and entertaining. The added warmth and light extends the time you can spend outdoors throughout the year. Outdoor fireplaces require more space, more money and special skills to build and install. Free-standing firepits require very little space, less money and no building skills. The choice usually depends on space and budget limitations, but they are both popular outdoor features.

Outdoor Kitchens

A luxury home feature that’s in big demand with homeowners today is outdoor kitchens. They provide a great way to cook, dine and entertain outdoors year-round. Simple designs usually include a grill, side burner, sink and countertops. Luxury designs can include rotisseries, pizza ovens, warming drawers, storage areas, compact refrigerators, ice makers, wine coolers and beer keg dispensers. Depending on the design and selected appliances, outdoor kitchens can range from $2,000 to $50,000, but homeowners love the lifestyle options that they provide.

Spas and Hot Tubs

With today’s busy lifestyles, homeowners want relaxation features in their home. Spas and hot tubs top the list for popularity. They are being included in new homes around the country in warm and cold climates. Outdoor spas and hot tubs are still the most popular, but some homeowners are opting for indoor spas in the master bathroom or just outside the master bedroom. New homes without spas or hot tubs often include whirlpool baths with adjustable water jets and showers with specialty shower heads and side jets. Whether inside or outside, relaxing spas and hot tubs are home features that homeowners want.

Adding a second story addition to your home can add value, personality and excitement to your home. While any homeowner can easily get excited by the possibilities available to them about additions, the process of actually deciding what your addition should be can be time consuming and frustrating. While there are many options available for numerous types of homes, here are four great ideas for second story additions that can work with any home style and homeowner preference.

Storage Area

While a new storage area might be low on the list of potential additions, it is very practical. This is especially useful if you have children, love collecting or if you simply have a lot of items that tend to do nothing but add clutter to the house. While you may want to keep your items due to sentimental value or monetary value, clutter can make a house seem very cramped and stuffy. In addition, cluttered houses with no room for storage tend to become stagnant in their décor because homeowner’s don’t want to get rid of their old items to make room for new items.

Your storage area can also be a display area for collections and precious family items like photos and trophies. Your sentimental items can be displayed with pride and visited as often as you’d like instead of merely placing them in a box and only looking at them while cleaning.

Personal Office or Study

Personal offices and studies are perfect for people who need a quiet place to concentrate on work or schoolwork, especially in a house filled with various people and pets. A locking door, a desk, a computer and a bookshelf are all practically anyone needs for their own personal office. If you have the means, you can also easily convert your working space into a meeting area for your business. It’s also a good idea to include an additional exterior entrance for more private and professional meetings as it may seem unprofessional to lead clients and associates in through your house.

Entertainment Room

A dream for many people may be a reality for you. An entertainment room or personal theater is an extremely appealing addition to many homes. You can tailor the room for your own personal interests by including a flat screen TV, entertainment center, a small arrangement of theater-styled seating, gaming consoles, surround sound, arcade games and more. It is one of the more expensive options, but it is also one of the most enjoyable.

Additional Bedrooms or Apartments

If you plan on extending your family soon or want to have an extra room for company, additional space can easily be converted to additional bedrooms. The simple addition of a bed, dresser and perhaps a small desk can easily convert any space into a viable bedroom.

In addition, you can also convert the space into an apartment and rent it out for extra money. If you have extra space in your home that you’re not using, it’s a great way to make some money.

Construction management started with the development of huge commercial projects. Large construction companies would be delighted just to have a small portion of the work and were the executives did not want to pay a general contractor the standard markup of all the work involved.

This management approach was born with the notion of finding professionals who would work for a fee and manage a bunch of contractors, typically in a larger scale.

With that said construction management is typically for commercial products. However in residential projects this can entail a process where the owner provides plans and specifications. The construction manager takes bids from subcontractors and suppliers. The construction manager then reviews these bids with the client and the final say in choosing the correct subcontractors is made. This is a very difficult management approach to fulfill both from the clients end and from a residential home remodeling point of view and essentially extinct for that reason.

You are dealing with a lot of many middlemen.

If you have separate contracts with each subcontractor and that will be a big hassle.

The construction manager does not always bear liability for the work rather it is the individual contractors involved.

It may be difficult for the construction manager to control all subcontractors since he does not hold the purse strings.

Hybrid Approach is best

The best value for residential remodeling is a process in which homeowners are dealing with the general contractor but also can rest assured that the project is going smooth and deadlines are accurately met. Trusting in one general contractor to coordinate tends to reflect value in that they tend to know subcontractors very well, pricing and have more leverage than a hired on construction manager lacking more field knowledge and established relationships. Our advice at SJB Construction Inc. is to seek a remodeling company that offers a hybrid where you can rest assured your project is monitored while trusting in a lean team to actually go in and do the work versus pass the project off to various other silos.

Photo credit: http://www.ctc.uaf.edu

People make it a priority to take care of the items they own. After all, everyone works quite hard to get the things they would like to increase their quality of life. A car is a good example of an asset we maintain. There is a lot of upkeep to allow us to have the freedom of transportation. We put fuel in our vehicle so it doesn’t run out of gas; we replace the tires, and complete oil changes. Our cars can be a life line. Our homes should be taken care of too and we must not overlook the maintenance that it needs to get the most out of our homes.

Ventilation for Second Story Room Addition

With summer heat coming in strong, air conditioning units need to be calibrated and dampers need to be converted from heat to let the flow of cool air flow throughout the home’s ventilation system. When adding a second story project to your plate you have to consider the ventilation so you don’t have a hot upstairs.

One common fix it for second story home project is activating your air conditioning unit especially in older homes. The cooler has been covered for the winter and it’s time for that tarp to come off. Because the AC unit has been shut off for so long the filters have been stale and bacteria may have had an opportunity to build up in the fibers of the filter. You don’t want to activate your AC without swapping these filters out and by not having the proper duct work leading to your upstairs project. They are also known to become dry and brittle over the cool months so a fresh cut filter will do the trick.

Another minor second story house project that can be accomplished for the summer is to get the plumbing situated. Bathroom additions are common for home projects and keeps people from trucking up and down the stairs. A second story bathroom will offer the convenience and safety needed with the addition. Make sure you don’t leave out the pipe work or you will have to rip out all of your hard work and start over.
It’s a good practice to flush your water unit at least once every year or even when you are starting a second story project. You need to release the water pressure from your home when adding new pipes to the infrastructure to prevent injuries.. The problem is most home owners aren’t aware of this need so it’s often over looked. When it becomes ignored debris and calcium build up can actually block the pluming making it harder for your water tank to produce enough pressure.